Rivers Police Defend Dispersal Of Newly Recruited Teachers

The Rivers State Police Command has affirmed that it halted the congregation of about 18,000 newly recruited teachers in Port Harcourt to avoid breakdown of law and order.
The newly recruited teachers, who were said to have been invited by the government to collect their appointment letters, were dispersed by the police.

The State Police Public Relations Officer, Ahmad Muhammad who stated the command’s position said: “We woke up that morning and saw people gathered in the stadium. They were up to 18,000. Prior to that, we had intelligence report that these people would be used to stage a protest against a very important personality in the country.

“We felt we had to stop them. And in my view the ban protest is still in force in the state. If for instance a group wants to protest against somebody, that same person also has people who are in his support. So if the supporters move against the protesters you could have breakdown of law and order. We do not want a situation where this would happen.

“In every activity of the Government, they write the police on questions of security and we are obliged to provide security for their activities but this time there was no communication from the Ministry of Education or any government official. It confirmed our suspicion that the men were gathered in order to stage a protest.”

Meanwhile in more condemnation of the Police action, member representing Asari-Toru/Akuku-Tori Federal Constituency in the National Assembly, Dr. Dawari George, has said it is shocking, adding, “I cannot come to terms with it in a democracy and a society of law.”

Another lawmaker, Leyii Kwanee, Deputy Speaker of the Rivers State House of Assembly described the police stoppage of the teachers’ gathering as “fascist and totalitarian.”

Kwanee accused the Rivers police of double standards in its security duties, contending that, “The Obuah led PDP had been organizing political rallies without being dispersed by the police not minding that such rallies are in contradistinction with INEC’s regulation and also capable of breaching peace considering the volatile situation in the state.